Fore-hearth



(No Model.)

A. J. SCHUMAGH-ER,

l FORI: HBARTH.

No. 475,614. Patented May 24, 18Q2.

.agarrar/rari;

ATTORNEYS,

NTED STATES PATENT' ADAM J. SCHUMACHER, OF BUTTE CITY, MONTANA.

FORE-HEARTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,614, dated May 24, 1892.

Original application tiled March 4, 1891, Serial No. 383,687. Divided and this application tiled October 14, 1891. Serial No. 408.667- (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM J. SCHUMACHER, of Butte City,in the county of Silver Bow and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Fore-Hearth, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to fore-hearths for smelting-furnaces, and is designed for use in connection with a discharge-trough such as shown and described in the application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 383,687, tiled by me under date of March 4, 1891, and allowed August 2S, 1891, and of which application this is a division.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved fore-hearth which is simple and durable in construction,completely separates the slag from the molten metal, and permits the formation of a cover from the slag for the molten metal contained in the device.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of the improvement, and Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same.

The fore-hearth H is preferably arranged below a discharge-trough, as fully described in the application above referred to. The forehearth I-I is provided with a tank I, preferably mounted on wheels .I so as to conveniently move the hearth about. The interior of the tank I is lined with a suitable refractory material, as at K, and in the ends ot' the tank are formed the discharge-spouts I and l2, of which the former serves to discharge slag and the other the matte or bullion. A pipe L, connected with 'a suitable source of water-supply, extends over the tank Land is then bent into a coil of pipe L', which extends transversely in the tank, so as to form a partition, which divides the tank into a larger and smaller compartment I3 and I4, respectively. The lower end of the coil of pipe L is then formed into a longitudinally-extending coil of pipe L2, arranged along one of the sides ot the tank,

which finally continues into the dischargepipeLl", leading to oneside of the tank. The coil of pipe L in the tank I has the spaces formed between the several layers of pipe filled in with tire-clay or other suitable material, so as to form a solid wall or transverse partition. The inlet-pipe L is provided with a valve L4 for regulating the water-supply. On pipe I., between the valve and tank I, is arranged an inlet-pipe N, having a valve N and serving forintroducing detergents by means of a torcepump or other device to clean the pipes and coils. The discharge-trough discharges the molten mass into the larger compartment I3 of the tank I. After the slag has risen in the fore-hearth above the under end of the coil of pipe L then the matte or lead will pass to the smaller compartment I4, while the slag oc cupies or remains in the larger compartment I3. When the tank is filled to overtlowing, a thin coat of slag is allowed to chill on the sur face,so as to form a cover, the slag then flowing in a constantsteam through the spout I', perfectly free from mechanical mixture of matte or bullion, which latter is discharged continuously from the smaller compartment I4 through the outlet-spout I2. Thus both the slag and the bullion will be continuously discharged, owing to their being located in different planes, so long as the supply continues, thereby avoiding the use of ladles to dip out the bullion.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A fore-hearth consisting in a tank having its rear end higher than its forward end and provided, respectively, with outlet-spouts I I2 in the upper edges of said ends, a lining of refractory material, and a transverse waterpartition dividing the tank above its bottom and forward of its center into two communieating compartments, whereby a continuous discharge of slag and bullion through the spouts l I;2 is provided for, substantially as set forth.

ADAM J. SCI-IUMACHER.

XVitnesses:

ANTHONY FRENCH, DANIEL LAUGHLIN. 

